Brian Barton
The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, after oil and gas. It is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions, or 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, and 20% of global wastewater. The industry's environmental impact also includes the depletion of non-renewable sources, the use of massive amounts of water and energy, and the creation of waste. Textile dyeing is the world's second-largest polluter of water, and the use of synthetic fibres like polyester is responsible for 35% of global microplastic pollution in oceans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Global ranking in pollution | Second most polluting industry |
| Carbon emissions | 8% of global carbon emissions (anticipated 50% increase by 2030) |
| Water usage | 20% of global wastewater |
| Water usage for jeans | 700 gallons for one cotton shirt, 2000 gallons for a pair of jeans, 7500 litres for a pair of jeans (UN estimate) |
| Water usage for t-shirts | 2700 litres for one t-shirt |
| Water pollution | 20% of global industrial water pollution |
| Chemicals used | Over 800 chemicals used in the dying and cultivating processes, 8000 chemicals in total |
| Insecticide use | Cotton is grown on 3% of the world's farmland but uses 16% of global insecticide |
| Herbicide use | Cotton uses 25% of global herbicide |
| Microplastics | 35% of microplastics in oceans come from synthetic fibres in clothing |
| Waste | 92 million tons of waste per year |
| Non-biodegradable fabrics | 60% of fabrics are nylon and polyester, which are non-biodegradable |
| Environmental impact | Depletion of non-renewable sources, emission of greenhouse gases, water and energy usage |
| Companies adopting sustainability | H&M, Guess, Patagonia, Freitag, Indosole, Novel Supply, Adidas, Ralph Lauren |
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What You'll Learn
Fast fashion's environmental impact
The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, after oil and gas. Fast fashion, in particular, has a significant environmental impact. This is due to the depletion of non-renewable sources, the emission of greenhouse gases, and the use of massive amounts of water and energy.
The fast fashion model involves the rapid design, production, distribution, and marketing of clothing. This means that retailers can pull large quantities of greater product variety, allowing consumers to get more fashion and product differentiation at a low price. However, the environmental cost of this cheap clothing is high.
Fast fashion is responsible for about 92 million tons of waste per year. It also accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of industrial water pollution. The industry's carbon emissions are expected to rise by almost 50% by 2030. The production of clothing and footwear is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned.
Water usage and pollution are major issues in the fast fashion industry. The industry is the second-biggest consumer of water, requiring about 700 gallons to produce one cotton shirt and 2,000 gallons of water to produce a pair of jeans. According to the UN, the industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater. Textile dyeing is the world's second-largest polluter of water, as the leftover water from the dyeing process is often dumped into ditches, streams, or rivers. The dyeing and finishing processes require a significant amount of water, which is particularly concerning in countries with already scarce water resources, such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam.
The fast fashion industry also uses a lot of synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which take hundreds of years to biodegrade. These synthetic fibres are responsible for 35% of global microplastic pollution in the oceans.
Some consumers are trying to reduce their consumption of fast fashion by buying from second-hand sellers, renting clothes, or supporting sustainable fashion brands. Some companies are also integrating sustainability principles into their business strategies, such as garment collection schemes or wardrobe recycling programs. Governments also need to be more actively involved in addressing the fashion industry's damaging effects.
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Water pollution and usage
The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, contributing 8% of all carbon emissions and 20% of all global wastewater. The industry is responsible for the consumption of 79 trillion litres of water annually, with 93 billion cubic metres of water used by the fashion industry in 2015 alone.
The environmental impact of the fashion industry, particularly fast fashion, on the world's water supply is significant. The industry's water usage contributes to water contamination and water pollution, with wastewater being produced at various stages of the value chain. The dyeing process, for example, releases colourants and harmful chemicals into wastewater when untreated, and this is then dumped into natural water sources. The washing of synthetic textiles also releases microplastics and microfibres into the water, which can damage aquatic ecosystems and even accumulate in human body tissue.
Cotton, the most widely used natural fabric, requires large amounts of water for irrigation and treatment, depleting local freshwater and groundwater resources. To meet the high demand for cotton, pesticides and fertilisers are often used, which, in addition to damaging soil quality and destroying underground microbial communities, pollute water with their runoffs.
Some companies are beginning to address their water pollution and usage. Gap Inc., for instance, has acknowledged its role in water pollution and is taking measures to reduce water usage and contamination in its manufacturing processes. H&M has also recognised its impact on water pollution and has a garment collection scheme in place. However, the sector as a whole is largely blind to the risks of water pollution and is failing to tap into water-related business opportunities.
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Greenhouse gas emissions
The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, after the oil and gas sector. It is responsible for 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, with clothing and footwear production contributing 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. The industry's emissions are expected to rise by almost 50% by 2030, according to Elisa Tonda, Head of the Consumption and Production Unit at UN Environment.
The fast fashion industry is a major contributor to the fashion industry's greenhouse gas emissions. The shortening of fashion cycles generates a constant need for new ideas and designs, as well as the need to get rid of the old to make space for the new. This results in an increase in the production and consumption of cheap, low-quality clothing made from non-biodegradable synthetic fibres. These synthetic fibres, such as nylon and polyester, are significant contributors to global microplastic pollution in oceans, with an estimated 35% of all microplastics in the ocean coming from the laundering of synthetic textiles.
The dyeing and finishing processes used in clothing production also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. These processes require significant water resources, with the textile sector consuming around 1.5 trillion litres of freshwater globally. The use of toxic chemicals in these processes further contributes to environmental pollution, as these chemicals are absorbed into soils and washed into waterways.
To address the environmental impact of the fashion industry, some companies are integrating sustainability principles into their business strategies. Examples include global clothing chains such as H&M, which has a garment collection scheme, and outdoor clothing companies like Patagonia, which produces jackets using polyester from recycled bottles. Consumers are also reducing their consumption of fast fashion by buying from second-hand sellers, renting clothes, and supporting sustainable fashion brands.
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Textile dyeing and microplastics
The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, contributing 8% of all carbon emissions and 20% of global wastewater. Textile dyeing is the world's second-largest polluter of water, as the water left over from the dyeing process is often dumped into ditches, streams, or rivers.
Textile dyeing sludge (TDS) is a solid sediment consisting of dye residues, inorganic particles, colloids, and metals produced during the treatment of dyeing and printing effluents. The disposal of TDS poses a critical environmental challenge due to its complex and hazardous nature. Microplastics, defined as plastic particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm, are emerging contaminants in TDS. These microplastics can influence the combustion and pyrolysis of TDS, increasing the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hydrocarbons. The effects of microplastics on the co-combustion and pyrolysis emissions of TDS are not yet fully understood, but studies are being conducted to quantify the impacts of different types of microplastics on gaseous emissions and residual metals.
The presence of microplastics in TDS can also affect sludge incineration and the temperature dependency of emissions. During the thermal degradation of microplastics in TDS, which occurs between 242-600 °C, microplastics decompose and interact with the organic components of TDS, increasing the release of VOCs. The type of microplastic present in TDS can influence the concentration and chemical form of metals during incineration and pyrolysis.
The fashion industry's use of synthetic fibres like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which take hundreds of years to biodegrade, contributes to the presence of microplastics in the ocean. A 2017 report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35% of all microplastics found in the ocean come from laundering synthetic textiles.
To address the environmental impact of the fashion industry, some companies are integrating sustainability principles into their business strategies. For example, H&M has a garment collection scheme, Guess is involved in a wardrobe recycling programme, and Patagonia produces jackets using polyester from recycled bottles. Other companies, like Freitag and Indosole, build sustainability into their entire business model by upcycling materials to create new products.
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Sustainable alternatives
The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world, contributing to 8% of global carbon emissions and 20% of global wastewater. The industry also has a significant water footprint, requiring about 700 gallons of water to produce one cotton shirt and 2000 gallons for a pair of jeans.
The rise of fast fashion has exacerbated the industry's negative environmental impact. Fast fashion refers to the rapid design, production, distribution, and marketing of cheaply priced garments that copy the latest catwalk styles. To keep up with the constant need for new styles, the fashion industry has become reliant on unsustainable practices, such as the use of non-renewable resources, synthetic fibres, and harmful chemicals.
However, there is a growing movement towards sustainable and ethical fashion, driven by conscious consumers and innovative brands. Here are some sustainable alternatives to fast fashion:
- Second-hand clothing: Buying second-hand clothes from platforms like ThredUp Inc. and Poshmark reduces waste and gives unwanted items a new lease of life.
- Rental services: Companies like Rent the Runway, Gwynnie Bee, and Girl Meets Dress offer clothing rental services, allowing consumers to access a variety of styles without contributing to excessive production.
- Sustainable materials: Brands like Jungmaven offer clothing made from sustainable materials such as hemp, which has minimal impact on the environment and antimicrobial properties.
- Ethical production: ARMEDANGELS is a German brand that prioritises ethical production, committing to traceable products made in sustainable facilities without toxic chemicals.
- Recycling and upcycling: Some companies, like H&M and Guess, have implemented garment collection and recycling schemes. Patagonia produces jackets using polyester from recycled bottles, while Swiss firm Freitag upcycles truck tarpaulins and seat belts into bags and backpacks.
- Circular systems: EILEEN FISHER is a brand that prioritises circular systems, taking back old pieces of apparel and crafting new ones from organic cotton, recycled nylon, silk, and linen without hazardous chemicals.
- Alternative materials: Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood are luxury fashion brands that have pioneered the use of alternative materials, such as recycled polyester, cactus leather, apple leather, and Eco Alter-Nappa, a vegan alternative to animal leather.
- Slowing down fashion: The slow fashion movement advocates for a more mindful approach to fashion, emphasising manufacturing that respects people, the environment, and animals. This includes designing and investing in business models that reuse clothes and maximise their useful life.
These sustainable alternatives offer environmentally and socially conscious options that challenge the detrimental practices of the fast fashion industry. By supporting these initiatives and demanding change, consumers can play a pivotal role in driving the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry, after the oil and gas sector. It is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions and 20% of global wastewater.
There are several factors that contribute to the fashion industry's high level of pollution. These include the use of non-renewable sources, the emission of greenhouse gases, and the high consumption of water. The industry is the second-biggest consumer of water, with around 7,500 litres of water needed to make a single pair of jeans.
In addition to water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, the fashion industry also contributes to waste generation and environmental degradation. The use of synthetic fibres like nylon and polyester, which are non-biodegradable, has led to the fashion industry being responsible for 35% of microplastic pollution in oceans. The dyeing and finishing processes in clothing production also require significant water resources and the use of chemicals, which further contributes to water pollution.
